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Author: Allison Takeda

Well, readers, another one bit the dust. Lone Star–my favorite new show of the season–is officially dead after only two (super stellar) episodes. I’m sad, of course, but unfortunately not surprised. There’s a long history of grea… …

Today is the day, Remixers–the day Chuck: Season 3 comes out on DVD. I’ve been waiting all summer for this, and if you’ve seen the show, you know why. If you haven’t, well, you should. Here are 10 reasons to catch up on the super spy series before it returns on Sept. 20 for what’s sure to be another stellar season.

1) You have an inner geek. We all do. Mine gets her kicks from grammar books and Renaissance literature, plays with a Rubik’s cube on the subway, finished the entire Harry Potter series in just over a week, and not-so-secretly loves Michael Cera, board games, and kitchen appliances. She also watches Chuck every Monday and sometimes wishes she had an Intersect in her head to teach her how to play darts or throw a boomerang or disable a bomb. Admit it–you wish that too.

2) Your real life is woefully devoid of covert missions and cunning adversaries who threaten every day to destroy the world as you know it. Maybe that’s a big assumption. Maybe you actually do fight evil in airplane cargo holds and take down elaborate crime rings on a regular basis. If that’s the case, you probably shouldn’t watch Chuck. It’d be like working all day in an ice-cream store and then going home and devouring a pint of Chunky Monkey. If you’re like me, however, and you don’t moonlight as James Bond in your spare time, you can fulfill all your spy fantasies vicariously through Team Bartowski. It’s the perfect compromise: You get all the action but none of the heart-stopping fear.

3) Captain Awesome is, in fact, awesome. Ryan McPartlin was supposed to appear in only a handful of episodes, but his character (Devon Woodcomb, better known to viewers as Captain Awesome) was so popular that the show’s writers beefed up his role and made him a series regular. Awesome is Chuck’s brother-in-law–a handsome, athletic cardiologist who speaks fluent Spanish, enjoys hang-gliding and rock-climbing, and knows how to tango. He’s almost annoyingly great, but McPartlin is so perfectly cast that you can’t help but like the guy.

4) You can only watch Firefly: The Complete Series so many times in a year. I miss Joss Whedon’s short-lived space-age Western as much as the next Browncoat, but Adam Baldwin as John Casey is almost as brilliant as Adam Baldwin as Jayne Cobb—and certainly better than no Adam Baldwin at all. Casey is essentially Jayne anyway: He’s quick to shoot, slow to trust, surly with a well-concealed soft spot, and hilariously short-tempered. He also shares Jayne’s predilection for inanimate objects (see: Bonsai tree, Crown Vic, a firearm named Vera) and once very nearly betrayed the people he was hired to protect (see: “Chuck Versus the First Date,” “Ariel”). If you have no idea what I’m talking about but correctly think you’re missing out, finish reading this list and then immediately track down a set of Firefly DVDs.

5) Your first impression is probably wrong. I’ll admit: When I first heard about the show back in 2007–PARADE featured it in our Fall TV Guide–I thought it sounded completely ridiculous. A nerd downloads a computer into his head that causes him to go all cross-eyed and flash on random top-secret government files? Yeah, right. I only tuned in to the pilot because I thought Zachary Levi was cute, but two episodes in, I was hooked. As the show’s title character, Levi is charming, vulnerable, endearing, goofy, and–incredibly enough–believable. And if he doesn’t win you over, someone else surely will. In addition to Adam Baldwin and Ryan McPartlin, whom I’ve already singled out, the cast includes Yvonne Strahovski as Chuck’s handler/love interest Sarah, Joshua Gomez as Chuck’s best friend Morgan, and Sarah Lancaster as Chuck’s sister Ellie. There have been some pretty fantastic guest stars, as well, including Rachel Bilson, Dominic Monaghan, and Chevy Chase.

6) You have a heart. Let’s get personal for a second. It’s a widely known–and mostly accepted–fact among my family and friends that I’m, well, less than sentimental when it comes to relationships of a romantic nature. I’m the girl who laughs at lines like “You complete me” and yells at the TV when people choose love over work. But even I can’t help melting a little when Chuck looks longingly at Sarah and then smiles tenderly–which, by the way, happens at least twice every episode. The chemistry between Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski is incredible. It brings out a soft side of me I didn’t even know I had. You can’t not root for those two to make it. I think even the Tin Man would feel a twinge watching them.

7) Laughter is good for your soul. And on Chuck, there’s plenty of it to go around. I defy you to be grumpy or sad watching Buy More employees Jeff and Lester (a.k.a. Jeffster!) perform “Mr. Roboto” at Awesome and Ellie’s wedding. It’s impossible.

8) There are no rules. And if you think you’ve figured out the game, you’re probably wrong.Chuck‘s writers aren’t afraid to shake things up. They do it often and they do it well. Plot twists are par for the course, and even characters you think you know could turn out to be other people entirely. After three seasons, I’m still not sure where everyone falls on the spectrum of good and evil. And I like it that way.

9) You’re a sucker for the underdog. Chuck is David to Goliath, 2004’s Red Sox to Joe Torre’s Yankees, and Susan Boyle to Simon Cowell all rolled up in one. Both the character and the show have confronted superior opponents–The Ring and NBC, respectively–and both have triumphed, against all odds. Case in point: When the series failed to attract large-enough numbers and faced the possibility of cancellation, fans launched an elaborate “Save Chuck” campaign to get it renewed. On the air date of the second season finale, they rallied to purchase foot-long sandwiches from Subway, one of the show’s biggest sponsors. Zachary Levi himself led an army of supporters to a Subway in Birmingham, England. Viewers also started “Have a Heart, Renew Chuck,” for which people donated money to the American Heart Association in Chuck’s name. By May, more than $17,000 had been raised. That might seem like a lot of fuss over one little show, but if you watch it, you’ll understand.

10) You have no reason not to. It’s on DVD, so if you have a life outside TV or, like me, you just have 8 million other shows to watch on Monday night—which is a grievance I’ll cover in another post—you can catch up on your own time, on your own terms. And if you watch an episode and hate it, you’ve lost nothing except maybe 43 minutes of your life, which you probably would have wasted on something else down the road. But I don’t think you’ll hate it.

Fact: I do not care for awards shows. I like everything leading up to awards shows–the nominations, the predictions, the fashions–but I couldn’t care less about the actual telecast. The speeches are too long, the jokes are too flat, and I’m nearly always disappointed with the results. Last night, however, I found myself actually enjoying the 2010 Primetime Emmys. The opening number (here, in case you missed it) was one of the best I can remember in recent history, and with the exception of one or two awards (ahem, lead actor and actress in a drama), I was more than happy with the winners. Aaron Paul and Jim Parsons finally got their due for Breaking Bad and The Big Bang Theory, respectively, and Emmy voters actually chose the funniest show for Outstanding Comedy. Well done, guys. A full list of winners is here, but here’s how my predictions stacked up against the actual results:

OUTSTANDING DRAMALost Breaking Bad Dexter Mad Men True Blood The Good Wife What I said then: It’s a three-way tie among Lost, Dexter, and Mad Men, all of which had standout seasons this year. I’m giving the edge to Lost, mostly because it was the series’ final run, but from what I’ve heard about Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston and Co. could steal the show come Emmy night. What I’m saying now:Mad Men or Breaking Bad. The latter probably should win; the former probably will win. And the Emmy goes to:Mad Men. So far, I’m 1 for 1.

OUTSTANDING COMEDYGlee Modern Family Curb Your Enthusiasm Nurse Jackie 30 Rock The Office What I said then:Modern Family. Glee, 30 Rock, and The Office are great, but I think Modern Family had the most consistently hilarious season. Glee would be my No. 2. What I’m saying now: I’m sticking with my guns on this one. Of the six shows nominated for Outstanding Comedy, Modern Family is still the funniest. And the Emmy goes to:Modern Family. 2 for 2.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA Jon Hamm (Mad Men) Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) Hugh Laurie (House) Michael C. Hall (Dexter) Matthew Fox (Lost) What I said then: I love Kyle Chandler as Coach Taylor more than I can say, but everyone in this category is so great, I’m not sure I can pick a favorite. I think I’d be happy with any of them taking home a trophy. What I’m saying now: I’ve changed my mind. I will only be happy if Kyle Chandler takes home the trophy. And the Emmy goes to: Bryan Cranston. Cranston is great on Breaking Bad, but Coach Taylor will always be No. 1 in my heart. You’ve got one more year to get it right, Emmy voters. 2 for 3.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) Mariska Hargitay (Special Victims Unit) Glenn Close (Damages) Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) January Jones (Mad Men) Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) What I said then: Connie Britton, Connie Britton, Connie Britton. If there is any justice in the world, Connie Britton. What I’m saying now: The same thing I said then. And the Emmy goes to: Kyra Sedgwick. COME ON, people. CONNIE BRITTON. I’m still angry about this one. 2 for 4.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY Lea Michele (Glee) Tina Fey (30 Rock) Toni Collette (The United States of Tara) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) What I said then: This is a hard category to judge, seeing as how I only watch two of the six shows on a regular basis, but since these “favorites” are just my totally biased opinions, I’m going with Lea Michele. She sings, she dances, she acts. And she’s really pretty. What I’m saying now: Amy Poehler. I stopped watching Parks and Rec after the less-than awesome first season but caught up on it this summer per the suggestion of a few friends who had stayed loyal and swore it was a better show now. They weren’t wrong. In fact, they may have undersold it. My love for Amy Poehler is back with a vengeance. And the Emmy goes to: Edie Falco. Poehler was just wishful thinking, I suppose. I still stand by what I said about Parks and Rec, though. It’s one of the best comedies on television. 3 for 6.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA John Slattery (Mad Men) Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) Martin Short (Damages) Terry O’Quinn (Lost) Michael Emerson (Lost) Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age) What I said then: Terry O’Quinn or Michael Emerson. I’m still sorting through my feelings about the end of Lost, but I’m certain of at least one thing: Life is better with O’Quinn and Emerson on my TV every week. They will be missed. What I’m saying now: Terry O’Quinn or Aaron Paul. It took me a while to jump on the Breaking Bad bandwagon (say that five times fast), but I’m on it now and never getting off. Aaron Paul is fantastic as Jesse. And the Emmy goes to: Aaron Paul. How sweet was his acceptance speech? Love him. 4 for 7.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA Sharon Gless (Burn Notice) Christine Baranski (The Good Wife) Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) Rose Byrne (Damages) Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) What I said then: Christina Hendricks. I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t seen any of the other three shows enough to judge the acting. What I’m saying now: Christina Hendricks is still my front runner, but Sharon Gless and Archie Panjabi are both great, too. And the Emmy goes to: Archie Panjabi. I’m giving myself half a point for this one, because Panjabi was my No. 2. So, 4.5 for 8.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY Chris Colfer (Glee) Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) Jon Cryer (Two and A Half Men) Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) Ty Burrell (Modern Family) What I said then: Neil Patrick Harris or Ty Burrell. NPH can basically do no wrong in my eyes, and Ty Burrell is laugh-out-loud hysterical as Phil on Modern Family. What I’m saying now: Ty Burrell. Three words: Why the face?And the Emmy goes to: Eric Stonestreet. I really thought it was going to be Burrell, but I’m glad Stonestreet took home the trophy. He was so endearing and lovely onstage, and seeing Jesse Tyler Ferguson cry for him almost made ME cry. My blackened heart felt alive for a moment there. 4.5 for 9.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY Jane Lynch (Glee) Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live) Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) Julie Bowen (Modern Family) Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) Holland Taylor (Two and A Half Men) What I said then: Jane Lynch, obviously. Have you seen her Madonna video? What I’m saying now: Jane Lynch, obviously. Have you seen her Madonna video? And the Emmy goes to: Jane Lynch. This one was a lock. 5.5 for 10.

Final tally: 5.5 for 10. Not a great score a math test, but an excellent batting average.

The 2010 Emmys are on Sunday, and after spending the last month and a half catching up on all the nominated shows–I basically didn’t do anything else–I’m ready to revise my list of Emmy favorites from July. A reader commented that I was missing out on some good TV, and he/she was right. How did it take me this long to recognize the brilliance of Breaking Bad and Parks and Rec? (I still don’t get all the fuss about Monk and Two and a Half Men, but I’ll let it go since viewers and Emmy voters obviously disagree with me on both.) In any case, here’s my official–and final–list of Emmy predictions. Come back on Monday to see how wrong I was!

OUTSTANDING DRAMALost Breaking Bad Dexter Mad Men True Blood The Good Wife What I said then: It’s a three-way tie among Lost, Dexter, and Mad Men, all of which had standout seasons this year. I’m giving the edge to Lost, mostly because it was the series’ final run, but from what I’ve heard about Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston and Co. could steal the show come Emmy night. What I’m saying now:Mad Men or Breaking Bad. The latter probably should win; the former probably will win.

OUTSTANDING COMEDYGlee Modern Family Curb Your Enthusiasm Nurse Jackie 30 Rock The Office What I said then:Modern Family. Glee, 30 Rock, and The Office are great, but I think Modern Family had the most consistently hilarious season. Glee would be my No. 2. What I’m saying now: I’m sticking with my guns on this one. Of the six shows nominated for Outstanding Comedy, Modern Family is still the funniest.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA Jon Hamm (Mad Men) Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) Hugh Laurie (House) Michael C. Hall (Dexter) Matthew Fox (Lost) What I said then: I love Kyle Chandler as Coach Taylor more than I can say, but everyone in this category is so great, I’m not sure I can pick a favorite. I think I’d be happy with any of them taking home a trophy. What I’m saying now: I’ve changed my mind. I will only be happy if Kyle Chandler takes home the trophy.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) Mariska Hargitay (Special Victims Unit) Glenn Close (Damages) Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) January Jones (Mad Men) Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) What I said then: Connie Britton, Connie Britton, Connie Britton. If there is any justice in the world, Connie Britton. What I’m saying now: The same thing I said then.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY Lea Michele (Glee) Tina Fey (30 Rock) Toni Collette (The United States of Tara) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) What I said then: This is a hard category to judge, seeing as how I only watch two of the six shows on a regular basis, but since these “favorites” are just my totally biased opinions, I’m going with Lea Michele. She sings, she dances, she acts. And she’s really pretty. What I’m saying now: Amy Poehler. I stopped watching Parks and Rec after the less-than awesome first season but caught up on it this summer per the suggestion of a few friends who had stayed loyal and swore it was a better show now. They weren’t wrong. In fact, they may have undersold it. My love for Amy Poehler is back with a vengeance.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA John Slattery (Mad Men) Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) Martin Short (Damages) Terry O’Quinn (Lost) Michael Emerson (Lost) Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age) What I said then: Terry O’Quinn or Michael Emerson. I’m still sorting through my feelings about the end of Lost, but I’m certain of at least one thing: Life is better with O’Quinn and Emerson on my TV every week. They will be missed. What I’m saying now: Terry O’Quinn or Aaron Paul. It took me a while to jump on the Breaking Bad bandwagon (say that five times fast), but I’m on it now and never getting off. Aaron Paul is fantastic as Jesse.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA Sharon Gless (Burn Notice) Christine Baranski (The Good Wife) Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) Rose Byrne (Damages) Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) What I said then: Christina Hendricks. I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t seen any of the other three shows enough to judge the acting. What I’m saying now: Christina Hendricks is still my front runner, but Sharon Gless and Archie Panjabi are both great, too.

It should come as no surprise to anyone who watched the latest season of The Bachelorette that producers are after runner-up Chris Lambton to be the next Bachelor. Chris was the hands-down fan favorite among Ali Fedotowsky’s 25 eligible (well, mostly anyway) men: Viewers gushed about him in seemingly endless comment threads, bloggers (including yours truly) confessed to not-so-secret crushes, and recappers waxed shamelessly lyrical every time he appeared onscreen. (You could practically hear their sighs between words.) The outpouring of affection was almost embarrassing. But it wasn’t unfounded.

Chris handled himself impeccably from the very beginning to the very end, when Ali confessed before their last date that she was in love with Roberto. He was as kind and gracious in that moment as he had been all season. It was strange, actually. He seemed so…normal. And, let’s face it, reality TV is anything but. Honestly, I don’t really get why he signed up for the show in the first place, but I’m glad he did. And I’m not the only one. While Ali was busy falling for Roberto, the rest of America was falling for Chris and hoping both that he’d live happily ever after and that he’d be sent home to try his luck with one of us. It’s no wonder the producers are pursuing him so doggedly. They’d be crazy–and really bad at their jobs–if they didn’t try to capitalize on that level of popularity. But he’d be crazy to say yes. And according to recent reports, he’s not going to. Here’s why that’s a good thing.

1) He’s too real for reality TV. From everything I’ve read, it seems as if Chris has no interest in fame or fortune or dancing with stars or guest-starring on shows about hot blondes reincarnated as less-hot brunettes. Which means he went on The Bachelorette to–wait for it–fall in love. Apparently he just wants to get married, have babies, and settle down in the Cape near his seriously wonderful family. Shocking, I know.

2) He moves at his own pace. Ali’s main complaint about Chris was that their relationship didn’t progress as quickly as her relationships with Roberto and Frank and Kirk and practically everyone else in the house except that one guy who never spoke. Chris took his time getting to know Ali and letting her get to know him, which is fine for the real world but not ideal for a show on which contestants are expected to get engaged after something like three months of (non-exclusive) dating. I kind of doubt throwing 24 other women into the mix is going to speed up the process.

3) He needs his family. And they need him. Ali said that seeing Chris with his dad and brothers and sisters-in-law was a big turning point in their relationship, and I think that’s because being with them, he was finally able to be himself. Spending that much time away from home was clearly very difficult for him, and I can’t imagine he or his family is eager to have it happen again. Heck, I don’t even want it to happen again. They’re so lovely together.

4) The catfights could get really, really ugly. Remember the Cold War between Vienna Girardi and the rest of the women in last season’s Bachelor? They were fighting over Jake Pavelka. Can you imagine the bloodshed that would occur in the competition for Chris’ heart? It would exceed even Real Housewives proportions. Teresa’s table flip would pale in comparison. And while that might be considered a success by TV standards, I’m pretty sure it’s a failure by humanity’s.

5) It’s nice to think guys like him are out there–and single. I am under no delusions that I would ever meet, let alone date, Chris Lambton. (Especially now that I’ve devoted an entire entry in my blog about him.) Nor do I think he will–or should–stay single for very long. On the contrary, I want him to fall in love and get married and be insanely, impossibly happy. I just don’t really want to watch. At best, he’d get engaged and dash the (totally unrealistic) hopes of women everywhere. At worst, he’d reveal himself to be a total cad and, well, dash the (totally unrealistic) hopes of women everywhere. The female population does not need another reason to watch scrappy (sappy crappy) rom-coms.

This is not technically TV-related–unless you count the fact that the guy who made it is an intern for Jimmy Kimmel Live–but it is technically awesome, so I’m going to go ahead and post it anyway. If you haven’t seen the trailer for the new Facebook movie– The Social Network , starring Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake– watch it now, and then come back and watch this.

“This” is a spoof of the aforementioned trailer written and co-directed by Jeff Loveness, who also stars opposite my cramazingly (cramazing = crazy + amazing) talented little brother, Scott Takeda. Jeff and Scott play Chad Hurley and Steven Chen, the guys responsible for the eternal time-suck known as YouTube. (A video about YouTube on YouTube! The meta-ness is overwhelming, I know.) The clip went up on Tuesday night and as of this morning already had more than 164,000 views–only 12 of which are from me! I love it, of course–I pretty much think everything my brother does is the Best Thing Ever–but I’m definitely not its only fan. So far, the video has appeared on Gawker, Gizmodo, Time, Slashfilm, and Twitter, via Ashton Kutcher, Rainn Wilson, Jimmy Kimmel, and Chad Hurley himself. That’s what they call “viral,” friends.

I, for one, could not be prouder of my brother. I guarantee I’ll be writing about him on here for real someday, when he’s rich and famous and starring on his own TV show in between stints on Broadway and roles in Academy Award-winning films. Remember his name, Remixers. He’s gonna live forever. And in the meantime, enjoy The Video Website. (If you can’t view it below, go here.)